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A Wawa school's thanking the community for its support of a recent fundraiser.
St. Augustine French Immersion Catholic School Principal Nadine Cartledge says the bottle drive held earlier this month was "a huge success".
Cartledge thanks Wawa and surrounding area for the generosity.
Cartledge highlights some other supporters.
Wawa Municipal Council's holding its final pair of 2025 meetings tonight.
First up is a Committee of the Whole meeting, which will include a presentation about the results of the 2024-25 predator control hunt, plus discussion about monthly reports from department heads, the annual accessibility report, a report on Wawa Transit operations, the proposed budget process and schedule, and public comments on the Strategic Plan.
That'll be followed by a regular meeting of Council, including resolutions to again authorize the discharge of firearms for predator control - the Municipality's allowed a limited predator control hunt since the start of 2017 - as well as adopt the annual accessibility report, back FONOM's call for "nation-building improvements" to Highways 11 and 17, approve the choice of recipient for the Civic Achievement Award, accept a resignation from the Cemetery Committee, and push a January meeting date a day - Council will also go "in-camera" for a closed session to discuss a legal issue about an offer to purchase property.
The meetings are set to be held back-to-back, starting at 6:30 pm in Council Chambers - they'll also be livestreamed through the Municipality's YouTube channel.
Chapleau staff of Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry are giving back to the community today with a food drive.
Conservation Officer Melissa Fairbairn says explains they're accepting donations to support families in need during the holiday season.
Fairbairn notes a modest goal.
The food drive runs from 10 this morning until 3 o'clock this afternoon, at the Chapleau Valu-Mart.
A little time remains businesses interested in competing in a local contest.
The Wawa Adult Learning Centre's reminding tomorrow is the deadline to enter their 2nd annual Wawa Window Wonderland Contest, and Digital Literacy Facilitator and Office Administrator Kaitlin Dube encourages businesses to decorate and enter.
Dube notes prizes will be awarded, with people able to vote on the entries through the centre's Facebook page, after tomorrow's deadline.
Wawa Municipal Council's meeting a day early to discuss Wawa's housing needs.
A special meeting's been called for Monday, December 15th, with the sole item on the agenda being a delegation from Charles Cirtwill - the President and CEO of the Northern Policy Institute - about the Wawa Housing Needs Assessment.
Open to the public, the meeting starts at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon, in Council Chambers, on the main level of the Municipal Building.
That's just a few hours before the Municipality's "Public Consultation Session" about the draft Wawa Housing Report, which will start at 6:30 pm, in the same location.
A regular meeting of Council will be held the following night, at 6:30 pm Tuesday, December 16th.
Wawa's struck a deal regarding administration of its "Municipal Accommodation Tax".
A joint release from the Municipality of Wawa and the Superior East Community Futures Development Corporation says they've entered into an agreement for the CFDC "to act as a third-party entity responsible for receiving and administering 50 percent of eligible [MAT] funds", with "an experienced MAT Committee [to] be formed consisting of Motel and Short-Term Accommodation operators, representatives from the tourism sector, and a municipal appointee", while the funds are "used to support tourism-related activities, marketing campaigns, and infrastructure improvements that benefit both residents and visitors".
Wawa Municipal Council approved the MAT - a 4% surcharge on stays at hotels, motels, airBnBs, and Bed and Breakfasts - in September 2024, but delayed implementation until April 2025 - per provincial rules, half of the funds go to Municipal coffers but can only be used for "tourism-related purposes", while a 3rd party entity needed to be selected for the other half.
The Superior East CFDC serves the same role for Chapleau's Municipal Accommodation Tax, as approved in September 2022.
Ontario Provincial Police are investigating a fatal snowmobile collision in Goulais River.
Sault Ste. Marie OPP say they responded to the "serious" single motorized snow vehicle collision around 11:15 pm Tuesday night, with the driver - a 50-year-old from Goulais River - pronounced dead at the scene.
The OPP North East Region Traffic Incident Management and Enforcement (TIME) team are assisting with the investigation.
Local hockey players and first responders will hit the ice tonight to help those in need - and honour a popular local figure.
While the annual Chapleau Huskies versus Chapleau Emergency Services game was already scheduled to be held tonight, organizers have announced it will also serve as a memorial game, honouring U18 Huskies Coach - and Trillium French High School teacher - Dom Thibeault, who passed away on Saturday.
Attendees are asked to bring non-perishable food items or cash donations, which will be donated to the Chapleau Food Bank, on behalf of the Thibeault family.
The game runs from 7 pm to 9 pm tonight, at the Chapleau Recreation Centre.
The Wawa Public Library's putting a few items up for auction.
CEO and Head Librarian Sue Jarrell outlines a few ways to bid in the annual silent auction.
Jarrell notes bids will be accepted until 5 pm next Wednesday, December 17th.
New leadership's been chosen for the Algoma District School Board.
Trustees have elected First Nation trustee Elaine Johnston as chair, replacing Sault Ste. Marie trustee Jennifer Sarlo, who'd been chair since 2011 and will stay on as a trustee.
From Serpent River First Nation, Johnston - who has been Vice Chair the last three years - has served on a number of committees - including Audit and Finance and Operations and Budget - and is currently chair of the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Trustee Council of the Ontario Public School Board Association - she'd previously chaired the Elliot Lake Hospital Board and was Chief of the Serpent River First Nation, as well as Vice Chair of the North Shore Tribal Council.
Trustees also picked a new Vice Chair, Greg Bowman, and electrical planner for Wesdome who has been Sault Ste. Marie Ward Three trustee since 2018 - he's served on the Parent Involvement and Awards Nomination committees, chaired the Operations and Budget committee, served as the board's voting delegate and a director of the Ontario Public School Board Association, and as Northern Ontario's representative for the association's Program Education Working Group.
The roles are elected yearly, around this time of year.
A group of local passenger train advocates are holding a major meeting tonight.
The Coalition for Algoma Passenger Trains is holding its annual general meeting at Sault Ste. Marie's Civic Centre from 7 to 9 tonight, with members of the Mask-wa Transportation Association Inc. Board as guest speakers, to discuss efforts for the "Bear Train" proposal for passenger train service between Sault Ste. Marie and Oba Lake, which has been supported by CAPT.
People can also attend via Zoom, but must first email linda.savory-gordon@algomau.ca
A local health unit's reminding parents to keep their kids up to date on immunizations for preventable diseases.
Noting "approximately 3800 students" in elementary and secondary schools across its region have missing or overdue vaccines according to the provincial immunization database, Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reminding parents to: check immunization records; vaccinate if necessary; and update their information with Public Health.
It warns it's starting to review immunization records for the 2025-26 school year, and - as Ontario law requires students under the age of 18 to either have up-to-date immunization records or a valid exemption in order to attend school - those without could soon be suspended until updating their records or they obtain an exemption.
After a weather-caused rescheduling, the Wawa Public Library's hosting a new session of a well-received event tonight.
Johanna Rowe will be holding a new "Coffee and Culture" event, "revisiting the history of the Michipicoten Post and its amazing legacy that we continue to celebrate to this day".
Everyone's welcome to attend the event, which starts at 6 pm tonight - coffee and tea will also be offered.
A week after poor weather postponed the event, some Wawa students will be out in the community tonight to collect bottles.
St. Augustine French Immersion Catholic School Principal Nadine Cartledge explains tonight's bottle drive.
Cartledge notes you can help with the collecting.
Assuming the weather cooperates, the bottle drive runs from 5 pm to 8 pm tonight.
With the holiday season here, residents of the Wawa area are being asked to help support the local hospital through a special one-day initiative.
Noting today is "Giving Tuesday" - a response to "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" - Lady Dunn Health Centre Foundation Chair Susan Switzer outlines a few options to support the Foundation.
Switzer notes a goal for the initiative.
Coordinator Isabeau Allard says people can expect to see the Foundation out for Giving Tuesday.
Currently, the Foundation is raising funds for new hospital beds for the acute and long-term care areas.
This comes just ahead of the Foundation's holiday season Wish Campaign, which is set to launch this Friday.
Wawa Municipal Council's tentatively backing a few proposed battery storage projects.
In a special meeting Monday afternoon, a short-handed Council passed resolutions supporting two of the proposed electricity storage projects: a 75 megawatt project to be located on Pinewood Drive, which was presented to Council at their November 18th meeting; and a 40 megawatt battery energy storage project to be located on private property along High Falls Road, across from the dump road - the latter project is from the same proponent behind another battery storage project proposed for Wawa Airport land, which Council backed in their November 18th meeting.
The resolutions - and discussions about them - emphasized that the Independent Electricity System Operator for Ontario would need to approve the applications, and - should that happen - the projects would then have several regulatory and permitting steps required before they could even begin construction.
Foleyet's no longer under a drinking water advisory.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts says the advisory issued Thursday - after a power outage caused a temporary loss of pressure in the community's drinking water system - has now been lifted, as tests have confirmed the water's safe for consumption.
The health unit does suggest residents run cold water faucets for five minutes or until the water runs clear, put water softeners through a regeneration cycle, drain and refill hot water heaters, and replace water filters used during the advisory.
Wawa Municipal Council's set to consider supporting a couple proposed local battery storage projects and more in a special meeting today.
Included on the agenda are CAO memos about and resolutions supporting the proposed projects: a 75 megawatt project to be located on Pinewood Drive, which was presented to Council at their November 18th meeting; and a 40 megawatt battery energy storage project to be located on private property along High Falls Road - the latter project is described as "a second site and energy project" from the same proponent behind another battery storage project proposed for Wawa Airport land, which Council backed in their November 18th meeting.
Council will also consider an application under the Downtown Wawa Community Improvement Plan Financial Incentives Program, and three "in-camera" items: a personal issue; a legal issue relating to a section of the Municipal Act allows the cancellation, reduction, or refunding of property taxes; and an item relating to labour relations or employee negotiations.
Outside of the "in-camera" parts, the meeting will be open to the public, starting at 1 o'clock this afternoon in Council Chambers - the former police station on the ground floor of the Municipal Building - and will be broadcast live on the Municipality's YouTube channel.
Foleyet is under a drinking water advisory after a power outage in the community.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts issued the advisory Thursday, warning those who take their water from Foleyet's municipal system not to use it for human consumption - like drinking, cooking, washing fruits and vegetables, or brushing teeth - and that boiling the water still may not make it safe for drinking.
It could, however, still be used for laundry or bathing, though not for small children who could swallow the water.
Stemming from a temporary loss of pressure in the water system due to the outage, the advisory will remain in effect until testing confirms it's safe.
Algoma Public Health's putting out the call for "Public Health Champions" - with a special focus.
Saying it wants to celebrate people and organizations "who make a meaningful difference in the lives of young children and families across the Algoma District", the health unit says it's accepting nominations for the annual Public Health Champion Award, specifically looking for those who are "support healthy child development in the earliest years of life (ages 0-6)", as "these early years lay the foundation for lifelong health.
There are four categories this year: Parent/Caregiver Champion, which includes parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, and those "bonus caregivers" who go above and beyond for young children; Professional Champion, for educators, healthcare workers, and service providers who make a lasting impact on young children; Youth/Student Champion, for those 24 and younger who support early years programs, volunteer with community initiatives, or mentor younger children through play, creativity, and learning; and Organization Champion, for programs, agencies, and community groups that help young children and their families thrive.
Now open, nominations close January 21st - details on nominating can be found on the A-P-H website.
